Sanzaru
by Monochromo
Summary: ("The first duty of a man is to think for himself." ― José Martí) When King Tomura Shigaraki ascended to the throne, he demanded only one thing to keep peace in the land: Every domain under his rule must offer a child once every five years, starting in the year XX885, to fight to the death in the capital, Yuuei. Izuku Midoriya, once quirkless, plans to end the tyrant king's rule.
1. Prologue 1: A Tale of Ancient Times

_Hello! I used to write fanfics on this account under another name for other fandoms, but now I wanted a fresh start and basically deleted like two of my really old stories because I'm too lazy to create another one (lol). X-posted from my AO3 account :)_

* * *

The year is XX885.

King Yagi Toshinori had recently stepped down from the throne after a bloodless revolt led by the descendant of the previous line: Tenko Shimura, now known as King Tomura Shigaraki. Unrest spilled through the lands, washing over its denizens and instilling fear in their hearts. The transient peace that had settled in after the last Great War, nearly over 30 years ago, was endangered.

Sumufatu—a land composed of periti and the imperiti. Those born with gifts that could rival even the gods and goddesses, and those without. It's made of numerous countries, ranging from small, trade-focused islands to militaristic empires. When King Toshinori ascended to the throne, blessed with powers that could wipe out entire armies in one singular punch, the destructive wars that ravaged the land were ended.

"I will become the symbol of peace that Sumufatu needs," the magnificent man declared.

A king's words were absolute.

And that was why, when Toshinori announced his retirement, no one was able to sway his mind. Only those closest to him, those who knew the truth behind his unflappable strength, understood his decision.

"The country is in shambles because of you," Gran Torino, Toshinori's most trusted advisor, told him. They stood over a valley overlooking the capital, Yuuei. The sun dipped down below the horizon line, painting the sky a collage of red, pink, and purple.

The former king was dressed in a brown cloak. Stress whittled away at his imposing figure until he was just a husk of his past. He offered the shorter man a reassuring smile: the only feature of his that remained unchanging throughout the years.

"This kingdom would completely collapse if I continued to ignore the problems."

They stared off at the changing skies, inwardly hoping that this moment would never end. But light dims to darkness, and all are subject to Time.

"Something large is about to happen, isn't that right, Toshinori? Do you think that the gods and goddesses have forsaken us?" Gran wondered.

Peace had made this country weak. Peace had hidden discord underneath a façade of unity. Peace is what they fought countless battles, spilled gallons of blood, severed numerous relationships, squandered a myriad of homes for.

"No," Toshinori resolutely denied. His bright, blue eyes seemed to look far-off into the future. "My dear friend, Jet tells me to relay the message that desperation is unbefitting of you."

Gran scoffed. "There you go again, talking to spirits. Only **you** are able to see them, blessed child of Congeria."

"It is **because** I am Congeria's champion that I can confidently confide in you that this country's future is not doomed," Toshinori chuckled. There's a bitter look in his eyes. "Although, change is not always welcomed by the masses. That is why I must hurry."

Gran tilted his hat down to cover his eyes. "To find your successor?"

"Nay," Toshinori murmured. With a swish of the long fabric, he began to widen the distance between him and his former home. With a squared back, he asserts:

"To find hope in despair."

When the sound of crunching grass no longer reached his ears, Gran finally looked up and stared at the imprinted steps on the ground. "I wish you luck on your journey, old friend." And with that, the short elder leapt up and propelled himself down the opposite way.

With Tomura Shigaraki donning the crown, both men no longer could call Yuuei their home.

* * *

"Mom, Mom! It's story time," a young, green-haired child told his mother. His small, five-year old hands gripped at her skirt, pulling her to a seat by his bedside. The woman merely laughed at his antics.

"My, Izuku, you listen to this story every night. Aren't you tired from playing with Katsuki all afternoon?" Inko Midoriya asked teasingly. She smoothed down his wild hair and brought his blankets just under his chin. Her son shook his head.

"Kacchan left me to go play with the other kids!" Izuku huffed. Ever since Katsuki's quirk manifested, the blonde often ditched his childhood friend to frolic with the others. "But—but—but, I'll feel a loooot better if you tell me the story!"

Inko could only relent to her son's wishes.

"Alright, alright. Should I start from the beginning?" Izuku ecstatically nodded his head. Clearing her throat, Inko began the tale known to all in Sumufatu:

 _In the beginning, when all there was in existence was light and darkness, there lived three gods._

 _Ordo—the oldest and wisest._

 _Statera—the middle child and most sagacious._

 _Congeria—the youngest and wildest._

 _Growing bored of the emptiness, they created the land of Sumutafu. With just a flick of their fingers, they created large bodies of water, colossal mountains, and soaring skies. With just one breath, they brought to life all forms of living beings._

 _Their favorite were the humans._

 _(_ "That's us!" Izuku giggled, quieting down when his mother brought a finger to her lips. _)_

 _Ordo and Congeria often got into arguments with Statera acting as the middleman. The former valued order, structure, rules. The latter favored spontaneity, change, choice._

' _I shall give humans writing and speech, to better communicate and establish systems,' Ordo declared one day._

 _To counter, Congeria said, 'Then, I shall give humanity free-will and desires, to separate themselves from one another.'_

 _And this kept going, until one day, humans began to grow too self-aware, too independent. Ordo feared their potential while Congeria lavished it._

' _They will become more powerful than us!' Ordo argued. Even Statera—calm, composed Statera—feared for the worst. Congeria waved away their concerns._

' _If the time of gods has come to an end, then that is the will of the Fates.'_

 _A clash of beliefs. A revulsion to revolution. A battle between her siblings disheartened Statera, so she proposed this:_

' _We shall give blessed individuals powers, to fight for their future. A side for humanity, and a side for the god's rule. You both shall choose a champion to lead your ideals.'_

 _A perfect balance for the two beings. Statera, the face of neutrality, stood off by the side to watch over the waging war._

 _And a war it was. Countless lives were lost, lost in the battlefield and lost in history. At the end, Congeria's side had won, but at what cost? Hostility had been sewn into the hearts of the people, and the fighting did not end even with a victor established._

 _Ordo, the wisest, had seen this coming._

' _Without our guidance, they shall kill and rid each other,' Ordo declared. He restored order and stole the gifts they had given to the humans. Congeria's heart broke upon seeing the empty shells they had become._

' _I will no longer argue against your ideals if you return the gifts back to them,' the goddess begged. And so, the youngest and oldest struck a deal, with Statera as the witness._

 _True to her words, Congeria retreated deep into the depths of the underworld while her two older siblings watched over their creations far off into the skies up above, invisible to the naked eye._

Inko stopped when she saw the steady rise and fall of Izuku's chest. With a soft smile, she placed a chaste kiss on his forehead, caressing her only son's cheek before moving to prepare for bed herself.

Change was coming. Though they lived in a quiet settlement deep in the forest, away from bustling cities where crime and corruption were commonplace, news of King Toshinori's unforeseen disappearance had reached her ears.

She could only pray, that as imperiti—those born without the blessings of the Ancients and remained quirkless for the rest of their lives—they would not have to witness the atrocities of war.

* * *

 _I've always wanted to write an adventure story filled with action-packed scenes and adult themes. And, well, I combined BNHA + a dream I once had + the fantasy AU. The result is this..._

 _Things to note: This is obviously AU, but I will do my best to keep characters' personalities canonically compliant. The main story will take place when the main cast are ~19-20. (Year XX899; yes, that number is important.) Mature themes /mean/ mature themes, so if you feel uncomfortable with seeing our precious cinnamon rolls commit murder, adultery, and the likes, I heavily encourage you not to read because this is meant to be a tale of ambiguous morality. OCs will be introduced, though most will play minor roles and serve to be expendables. The "main character" is technically Midoriya, but that will often change with every arc (I am determined to let other characters shine b/c BNHA is focused mostly on Midoriya's journey)._

 _Update Schedule: I don't want to promise updates that I'm not sure I can deliver, so until I have time to set aside to write these chapters (which will be looong), updates will be sporadic...FOR NOW!_

 _Ships(?): Romance isn't the focus, though I do plan to eventually explore the characters' relationships. Initial pairings may not always be end-game. (Because they're at war god dammit.) But, I will say that I'm entertaining the idea of Izuku/Ochako/Katsuki because it'll be fun. Platonic scenes may be interpreted as romantic ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_


	2. Prologue 2: The Strong and the Weak

_Formatting in FF is painful..._

* * *

Katsuki Bakugou, at the age of five, knew that he was something pretty fucking special.

He's smart. Sharp, calculating. He's athletic. Outrunning everyone in the village. He's confident. Oozing with self-assuredness. And, he's been blessed with a quirk by the second rank officer of Congeria's division in ancient tales: Exitium. Adding **that** to the list made the blonde-haired child think that he's some hot stuff, and anyone who doesn't agree is just lying to themselves.

(Humility or affability are not on said list.)

The mark appeared one day during school, when his teacher was going over spelling or grammar: something unimportant. It glowed orange, like a wildfire, tracing patterns on his skin. Starting from the middle of the back of his hands, lines flickered up and down his arm, weaving around his fingers.

In the middle was a cross of jagged lines, the center an empty circle. Crisscrossing lines of varying sizes and thickness expanded, with smaller curvy ones filling in the spaces left behind. The bright, orange light died down to a burgundy red.

There's a saying that people born with the blessing of the gods were often left a mark to show their difference with individuals who weren't. Out of everyone in the tiny village, the largest had been the village elder's, though it was only a diamond shape on the back of his neck.

Nobody had seen anything like Katsuki's.

"That's amazing, Katsuki," his teacher gasped. Everyone crowded around him as he proudly displayed his mark, lavishing in their praise. "You're special."

"Wow, so cool!"

"Amazing!"

"I have to tell my mom about this…!"

Izuku stared up at him with wide, bright eyes that sparkled with wonder. Katsuki felt his chest swell up in pride. "I wanna be like Kacchan too!"

Except, the green-haired boy couldn't be. Didn't he hear their teacher? Katsuki Bakugou was **special**. And there was no way that some scrawny childhood friend of his was about to take that title away from him.

* * *

When his mother discovered his mark, rather than looking proud and happy like the people at school, she looked depressed. Heart-broken. Uncharacteristically quiet. Later that night, he heard her muffled sobs as she sat in the dining room, being comforted by his father. She wore a smile for him, but Katsuki knew it was fake.

He couldn't understand **why** she wasn't joyful about having a child that was **special**.

Not until he was nine, when men in dark trench coats and carrying the regalia of Baron Hidaka, presiding ruler of the land where his village settlement was, that he began to understand why. Called out of class, they requested to see his quirk in action.

"Whaddaya want me to do?" Katsuki barked. He was missing science class, his favorite subject. There better have been a good reason for this. The men exchanged looks before commanding,

"Anything to display the power of your quirk."

Katsuki felt a small smirk form on his mouth. " _Anythin'_?"

Noting their nodding their heads, Katsuki rolled back his shoulders and pushed his hands together, warming up. His action sent small sparks and black smoke into the air. The congregation of dark-suited men began to murmur, and bringing his hands over to a nearby tree, Bakugou began to concentrate on calling upon the powers of his quirk.

Energy swirled inside of him, pooling into his hands. A faint, orange-red aura began to emanate from his body, and an explosion erupted from his palms. There was a loud sound that resonated throughout the air, and when the smoke cleared, the large oak tree that stood in front of him was reduced to black ash.

 _7.5/10_ , Katsuki thought to himself, clicking his tongue in displeasure. It still wasn't strong enough to take out three trees instead of one. But, it did a good job at decimating it.

Confidently, he placed his hands on his hips and whirled around to face the mysterious group. "Well?"

"Give us a moment," the tallest one spoke. They all had hoods on, making it difficult to see their faces. Voices quiet, they began to discuss what they saw just a moment before. Katsuki had to strain his ears to catch a couple words.

"…certainly strong, but…"

"…attitude could use some work…"

"…provisions are being cut…"

"…champion needed…"

Finally, the group broke away from each other. The tallest stepped forward, and as much as Katsuki hated to admit it, the child began to grow apprehensive with each step. When he was just a couple footsteps away, the man lowered his hood, revealing a weary, wrinkled, ashen face with lifeless gray eyes.

"Katsuki Bakugou, my name is Gushiken. You have been chosen as a candidate to represent the region of Anathi, domain of Baron Hidaka, in the future Pedio Machis," he robotically announced. He extended a bony hand towards the small child. "Do you accept?"

These people recognized his talents. And now, he had the chance to show the entire world just how strong he is.

Slapping his small hand into the older man's, Katsuki declared with a ferocious grin, "Hell yeah I do!"

A glimmer of anticipation flickered in Gushiken's eyes.

* * *

Although his mother was initially reluctant to let him go, Gushiken's promise of providing more provisions to the ailing village managed to sway her opinion. That, and the pressure from the other residents to accept. He's not angry; in fact, he was grateful that he was finally able to escape the sleepy forest.

Now, Katsuki wasn't bound by stupid rules and regulations...or so he thought.

"You'll be attending a private academy in the capital of Anathi," Gushiken announced, slightly amused by the way the child was fidgeting in his seat inside the carriage. It was obvious that the boy raised far from civilization was excited by nearly everything new that came his way.

Katsuki turned his head from the window to scowl at the older man. "The hell do I have to attend school for? Don't I gotta train for the—whatchamacall it—Pedio Machis or somethin'?"

Even his manner of speech was rough and unrefined. Gushiken had been placed as his guardian to overlook his growth as the ideal representative for the upcoming battle royale in the capital.

"Yes. The academy will do just that. Combat training, tactical analysis, stealth—everything in that sense will be covered," Gushiken revealed. Katsuki's eyes glistened with eagerness. "Even if you cry and beg, it's too late to quit."

"'Quit'?" Katsuki repeated incredulously. "Ain't no way I'm quittin' 'til I'm number one!"

Gushiken raised an eyebrow. His expression was unreadable. "Is that so…"

Usually, Katsuki would have exploded at the mere insinuation that he wouldn't be able to achieve his goal. But for one reason or another, he couldn't find his voice to retaliate. Instead, he swerved his attention back to the passing buildings.

* * *

"This is Akio, your senior," Gushiken introduced. Akio was a lanky teen with long, white hair tied in the back and kind, cerulean eyes. Rather than handsome, most would agree that he was pretty. "He's the representative for this cycle's Pedio Machis."

Katsuki eyed the new male warily. For someone so…nice-looking, the blonde had a hard time believing that he was the strongest warrior Baron Hidaka entrusted the financial future and security of his land to.

"It's a pleasure to meet you! It's odd to hear that Master Gushiken agreed to take you under his tutelage. He's not exactly someone who likes children, you know?" Akio babbled. Apparently, the older boy was chatty as well. Gushiken remained silent, and Katsuki felt prideful that even a man as old and wise as Gushiken could recognize his capabilities.

"Mn, ya strong? Bet I can take 'cha on," Katsuki challenged, cracking his fists. Akio raised his eyebrows before erupting into a fit of giggles. Even the way he lifted the sleeves of his hakamashita to cover his mouth was girly. "What's so funny to ya?!"

Akio wiped a tear from his eye. "No, no, I wasn't laughing at you, Bakugou. It's just so odd that a trainee would challenge this year's representative so easily."

"It's 'cause you have to be strong to be chosen. So if I beat cha, I'll be one step closer to number one!" Katsuki reasoned. And, for a nine-year-old, it was a pretty sound reason. Gushiken shook his head exasperatedly.

"Let's get you moved into your room, kid," the somber man ordered. Begrudgingly, Katsuki stuffed his hands into his pockets, following after the older male's wide back.

Muttering under his breath, Katsuki said, "How they even choose the representative, anyways?"

Akio heard. And he gave a small, unreadable smile to the blonde boy before waving and turning his back to head into the training room. His shoulders were slumped even further down.

* * *

It doesn't take long for Katsuki to get settled in. Falling into a routine of eating, sleeping, training, and studying, the blonde child quickly started separating himself from his peers because of his excellence in all subjects.

His favorite, however, was fighting. Lithely, he dodged a white snake striking at his feet before incinerating it with a single flick of his wrist. When the smoke cleared, only Akio remained standing on the field, all other students laying on the ground, unable to move.

"Very good, Bakugou," Akio praised. Katsuki learned that his senior's quirk was related snakes, producing the reptile from all parts of his skin that had venom deadly enough to paralyze or kill bitten victims. It was a gift from the snake goddess of Statera's order.

"Tsk! Stop goin' so easy on me, you bastard!" Katsuki shouted. Although his teachers were trying their hardest to correct his manner of speech, the blonde proved to be a surprisingly strong opponent. Where he even learned curse words, they hadn't the faintest clue.

"Haha, I think that's enough. We have to prepare for the guests," Akio advised. Katsuki unwittingly followed his senior's orders, lest he be faced with Gushiken's wrath later on. Apparently, Baron Hidaka was coming to the Academy in order to give his support to Akio on the Pedio Machis.

Akio was set to leave ten days later.

Katsuki sat beside his guardian, who refrained from the drinking festivities despite the assurance of the other adults in his room. The child scrunched his nose at the smell of booze and the noisiness brought about by the entertainers Baron Hidaka hired.

"To Akio! May he prosper on the battlefield and bring glory to Anathi," the ruler of Katsuki's homeland announced. He was a small, round, and brazen man adorned in lavish clothing. Cheers erupted throughout the room as another round of alcohol was served.

"Don't end up like them when you get older," Gushiken whispered over to his disciple. Katsuki rolled his eyes.

"I'd rather drop dead."

"Hm, just be careful. Intoxication is a tempting mistress," the older man warned. Katsuki could only shake his head.

"I don't even _like_ the taste of sake," Katsuki argued. Just for today, Baron Hidaka allowed everyone, including the underaged children in the academy, to indulge in alcohol.

"No, not liquor," Gushiken denied. He took a sip of oolong tea. "Drunk on power."

Katsuki remained silent. No matter what Gushiken said, he couldn't sway the boy's heart. The blonde was set on becoming the best of the best, and he'd do everything in his power to achieve that dream. Excusing himself to go to the washroom, Katsuki spotted Akio on the veranda leading the training field.

"Oi, this party's for you and you decide to ditch it?" Katsuki called out. Despite his better judgment, he had grown close to the older teen. Akio was especially kind and accepting, compared to the usually cold and aloof residents of the academy.

"You caught me, Bakugou," Akio laughed. But the amusement didn't reach his eyes. In fact, if Katsuki didn't know any better, he'd have surmised that Akio had just finished crying. But Katsuki didn't do well with emotions, so he ignored the uncharacteristic redness amidst cerulean and the tear streaks on Akio's pale cheeks glowing under the silver moonlight.

He shuffled his feet against the wood. "Too loud?"

"Perhaps," Akio acquiesced. He focused his gaze on the scorched marks on the floor as a result of Katsuki's training. "Or maybe even nerves. We should head back inside and enjoy. This may be my last opportunity."

"What the hell?" Katsuki grumbled. Akio lifted his head up, eyes widened in surprise. "You worried about _that_? You can't lose to anyone else **except** for me, ya got that?"

Turning his head away, Katsuki added, "So you better come back and fight me properly without holding back."

Akio blinked owlishly before bringing his sleeve up to laugh. His uneasiness was wiped away by the blonde's bold statements. "Do you want me to bring you back some shichimi togarashi, Bakuchan?"

The tips of his ears glowed red at the use of his nickname. "Drop dead, ya fucker."

* * *

Katsuki could count the amount of times he felt regret on one hand.

Once, when he accidentally killed the class' goldfish by neglecting to change the water.

Twice, when he accidentally made his mother cry by destroying her wedding china by playing with his quirk inside the house (he received a **firm** scolding for that).

When Akio returned to the academy, carried in a black box shut closed because the body inside was too horribly disfigured to be displayed to the public, Katsuki mentally added another instance to his list.

He kept the bottle of spices in his room, cap unopened.

* * *

The first time he murdered someone, Katsuki was only twelve years old.

He was used to taking lives, but only when necessary. For example, when he was on kitchen duty, Katsuki eventually learned to grow apathetic to blood as he sliced the chicken's head cleanly off its body.

While on his way back from running errands for Gushiken, he ran into a drunk man stumbling outside the walls of the academy. Though he attempted to ignore the drunkard, Katsuki was suddenly pulled back by a death grip on his right arm. He dropped his grocery bags to the floor, cabbages rolling on the ground

Gushiken was going to **kill** him.

"You a student at this academy?" the man slurred. Katsuki attempted to shake him off, but an adult's strength is far beyond that of his at the current moment.

"What if I am?" he snarled. The man started yelling incoherently, smashing the bottle of alcohol in his other hand. Fear began to grow in Katsuki's heart as the older male started waving the weapon in the air. The smell of spilled sake on the floor made his stomach queasy.

"You know my son was enrolled there? Got killed by that snake bastard who they been parading around like some kinda hero. They don't tell ya these things though," the man hiccupped.

It's not surprising to Katsuki. He knew, somewhere deep in the back of his mind, that the procession to choosing the representative wasn't ethical. But a life or two lost was a lower sacrifice than the livelihoods of the entire region.

"So ya know, I might as well just kill ya here now. You're gonna end up being a murderer later anyways!"

This man was going to literally **kill** him.

The series of events that occurred after were a blur to Katsuki. One moment, he was watching an arm swing down to strike his head. The next, the very same arm was blown to bits. Amidst the screaming, the smell of burnt flesh and alcohol, the sight of blood and smoke flying in the air, Katsuki had only one thought on his mind:

This is all for self-defense.

When Gushiken, dressed in a simple robe for sleeping, found him, Katsuki was emptying the contents of his stomach by the sewage canal. Quietly, he draped a blanket over the small boy's wracking shoulders and guided him back to the room.

No one spoke of the incident. It was buried, forgotten, as if the man was never in existence in the first place.

Katsuki's classmates segregated themselves as far away from him as possible.

* * *

He was fifteen when he was finally able to venture outside the borders of Anathi towards the capital: Yuuei. Gushiken was selected as the bodyguard of the Anathi representative, and Katsuki was looped into following along under the guise of a learning experience.

After all, Katsuki had recently been selected as the next fighter for Anathi for the Pedio Machis set on the year XX900.

The blonde was generally very sharp, but he couldn't understand the inner workings of King Shigaraki. Forcing people under the age of 25 to fight to the death is one matter, but forcing them to attend dinner parties with opposing nations, their opponents and enemies, is a whole different kind of eccentricity.

Katsuki didn't even know his area's current representative. The girl had been so unnoteworthy that Baron Hidaka hadn't bothered to throw a send-off like he had for Akio. Some claimed for it to be bad luck, but deep inside, Katsuki knew it was because the shorty was waiting for _his_ turn to come along and place his expectations on the explosion quirk user's shoulders.

Judging from the way the girl was doing everything in her power to ignore his existence, Katsuki concluded that she knew as well and resented him for it.

But he wasn't deterred. He was going to use that resentment as fuel for the climb up to the top.

"Don't wrinkle your forehead like that, or else your make-up will crumble," Gushiken reprimanded. Another thing Katsuki particularly disliked about this whole ordeal was the insistence of keeping up images. Lessons on etiquette and poise haunted his nightmares.

Still, this was the first time he had to wear concealer, to hide the bruises and scars littering his body. He wore thick, padded black gloves that reached his elbows to hide away the bandages wrapped around his arms as a result of extended usage of his quirk. The selection ceremony had been conducted three days prior, and the training rooms where he spent countless hours with his classmates training were now empty.

"This is stupid," Katsuki grumbled. The girl glared at him, dressed in some frilly pink dress that clashed horribly with his deep red suit. He glared back, and she uttered a peep before turning her head away.

What a coward.

"Take this opportunity to scout out your potential competitors. The other nations are bound to bring along the kids they have prepared for the next cycle," Gushiken advised. A wicked grin appeared on Katsuki's face.

When things were put into that way, this dinner party might not be half-as-bad as the blonde expected.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" the girl murmured. The two men pointedly ignored her.

They arrived at the castle a little past after sunset. The ostentatious entrance was open, heavily unguarded, as if the king didn't expect anyone to be dumb enough to actually crash his party, and a royal red rug rolled out leading inside. Ornate walls were ordained with paintings of seemingly random things, from gaming systems to mushrooms to blades that resembled keys.

Katsuki furrowed his eyebrows: the king really was as whimsical as they came.

"Stop that," Gushiken ordered. Grumbling under his breath, Katsuki did as he was told and straightened his back. The chandeliers above them illuminated the heavily decorated hallway, and soon, the trio reached a tall, golden door frame.

The design was of the three god and goddesses of ancient tale. Ordo, the oldest, at the very top depicted as ruling over Sumufatu with Statera by his side. And Congeria cast aside at the very bottom, chained to what seemed like spikes in the underworld.

Even the king believed in stories like those.

"Ready?" Gushiken asked. Although it was the girl who gave her consent, Katsuki knew that the man was mostly addressing the question to him. Inside that room were individuals deemed strong enough to represent entire nations. Inside that room were his stepping stones to rise up above all others. Inside that room were his future opponents.

Katsuki pushed open the doors that led to his ascent to number one.

* * *

 _Just introducing some key concepts. There will be three prologues total to give some backstory for the main plot. You can guess the important points of the first one (hopefully?)._

 _I will eventually implement character data screen similar to Horikoshi's shifuku's to help readers keep a better track on the characters and emulate an RPG-like journalism log because chapters will get messy real fast (lmao)._

 _Er, yeah, the Pedio Machis shares some similarities to the Hunger Games, but it's much more straight forward in that there's really no obstacle course or sponsorship; just straight up killing. Basically, the winning champions have their region's trading and financial support from the king upgraded; the losers in the bottom ranks get the opposite (law of equivalent exchange ha!) [rip Akio: prologue 2-prologue 2]_


End file.
